Long Beach State University Athletics
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Marquee Showdown Headlines Alan Knipe Retirement Celebration As No. 2 Long Beach State Faces No. 1 UCLA
2/5/2026 11:59:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
Undefeated 8-0 programs meet in a top-two showdown as the Beach face the Bruins in a rematch of the 2025 NCAA title match
LONG BEACH, Calif. - No. 2 Long Beach State and No. 1 UCLA collide on Friday night in the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid in one of the most anticipated matches of the 2026 men's volleyball season, as two undefeated 8-0 programs and national title contenders meet in a rematch of the 2025 NCAA National Championship, won by the Beach. The match will also feature a celebration to honor the retirement of legendary head coach Alan Knipe before a sold-out crowd at home. Long Beach State enters the matchup riding eight straight victories and ranking among the national leaders in hitting efficiency, service pressure, and net defense, setting the stage for a marquee early-season showdown between the top two teams in the country.
RIGHT AWAY• No. 2 Long Beach State enters the week undefeated at 8-0, standing as one of five remaining unbeaten teams nationally through the first month of the 2026 season. UCLA is also 8-0, setting up an undefeated No. 1 vs No. 2 matchup between two of the nation's top programs.
• The Beach have won six of their eight matches in straight sets and have not played a five-set match this season, dropping just two sets overall through 26 total sets played. Long Beach State has shown dominance across all venues, posting a 4-0 record at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid, a 3-0 mark on the road, and a 1-0 showing at neutral sites.
• The Beach most recently earned a 3-1 road win at Pepperdine on Jan. 30, closing the match with consecutive extra-point set victories of 30-28 and 27-25 to remain undefeated.
• Offensively, Long Beach State is averaging 12.65 kills per set, ranking 14th among the national leaders, while hitting .407 as a team, which places the Beach inside the top three nationally in hitting percentage.
• The Beach are holding opponents to just 9.50 kills per set and a .175 hitting percentage, ranking sixth best nationally in opponent efficiency and forcing errors at a high rate.
• Long Beach State ranks No. 1 nationally in service aces per set at 2.96, having recorded 77 aces through eight matches.
• Defensively, Long Beach State is averaging 8.35 digs per set, reinforcing control of extended rallies and transition play. At the net, the Beach rank No. 3 nationally in blocks per set at 2.85, totaling 74 blocks.
ALAN KNIPE RETIREMENT CELEBRATION
• Long Beach State will celebrate the retirement of legendary head coach Alan Knipe prior to the No. 2 Beach's matchup against No. 1 UCLA, honoring his historic career in front of a sold-out crowd at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.
• Knipe concludes a 25-year association with Long Beach State men's volleyball as both a championship student-athlete and one of the most accomplished head coaches in the history of the sport.
• The only individual to be part of all four NCAA national championships in program history, Knipe helped win the Beach's first title as a student-athlete in 1991 and guided three more championships as head coach in 2018, 2019, and 2025.
• Over 22 seasons as head coach, Knipe compiled a 450–172 career record, the most wins in program history, while leading the Beach to eight conference titles and 10 NCAA Final Four appearances.
• Knipe's impact extended to the international stage as head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team from 2008–12, leading the program to the 2012 Olympic Games, and his career has been recognized with induction into the USA Volleyball and AVCA Halls of Fame.
IN THE RANKINGS• Nationally, the Beach rank No. 1 in aces per set and No. 1 in blocks per set, placing Long Beach State at the top of the country in pressure categories from both the service line and the net.
• Long Beach State also ranks among the national leaders in hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage, reinforcing balance and efficiency on both sides of the ball.
• Skyler Varga, named to the Inaugural AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List this week, is ranked No. 1 in the Big West and No. 2 nationally in service aces, averaging 1.08 aces per set. Varga leads the Big West in points per set at 4.74, ranking No. 1 in the conference and No. 7 nationally in the category, reflecting his impact as a high-volume scorer across all rotations. Varga also ranks sixth in the Big West in hitting percentage at .416 and sits No. 19 nationally, combining efficiency with offensive volume as the Beach's primary terminal attacker.
• Jackson Cryst ranks No. 1 in the Big West and No. 5 nationally in blocks per set at 1.35, anchoring a Long Beach State front line that leads the nation in team blocks per set. Cryst has totaled 35 blocks through eight matches and contributes offensively as well, hitting .423 on the season.
• Jake Pazanti ranks third in the Big West and 16th nationally in assists per set at 9.83, directing an offense that ranks among the national leaders in hitting efficiency and assists per set. Pazanti has recorded 236 assists through eight matches and has guided the Beach to a .487 team assist percentage, providing consistent first contact and tempo control.
• Kellen Larson ranks third in the Big West in digs per set at 1.96, good for No. 36 nationally, serving as the anchor of the Beach back row. Larson has totaled 51 digs on the season while posting a .983 reception percentage on 119 attempts, contributing to Long Beach State committing just 22 reception errors through eight matches.
BEACH READS - A BANNER UNVEILED, A STANDARD REAFFIRMED
• Long Beach State men's volleyball unveiled its 2025 national championship banner on January 24 inside the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid, turning the night into both a celebration of the program's fourth NCAA title and a homecoming that welcomed back championship alumni and former head coach Alan Knipe.
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• The ceremony served as a reflection on the culture that has bolstered Long Beach State across decades, highlighting a standard built on continuity, resilience, and trust that carried the Beach through an adversity-filled 2025 season and culminated in a sweep of UCLA in the NCAA championship match.
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• Now hanging above the court, the 2025 banner stands as more than a record of a title run. It marks a standard the program has been built to sustain, connecting past eras to the present and future of Beach volleyball.
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Read more at www.longbeachstate.com.
